Skin Cancer Risk Increases With Newer Arthritis Drugs

According to study results published in the September 2007 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, the use of biologic drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma. No other malignancy was associated with the use of biologic drugs.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases and the U.S. National Cancer Institute SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results), studying the incidence of cancer in 13,001 rheumatoid arthritis patients over 49,000 patient-years of observation from 1998-2005. About 49 percent of the patients had taken anti-TNF drugs, e.g., Enbrel (etanercept), Remicade (infliximab), Humira (adalimumab), at some point.

• The Facts of Enbrel
• The Facts of Remicade
• The Facts of Humira
• Test Your Knowledge: TNF Blockers (Enbrel, Remicade, Humira)
• Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira: How Are They Similar and Different?

The association between rheumatoid arthritis and an increased risk of cancer continues to be studied by researchers. Previous studies have revealed that blood, lung, and skin cancers are increased among people with rheumatoid arthritis, while breast and colon cancer are decreased. It is still being decided whether cancer rates are impacted by the disease itself or by the use of biologic drugs, such as anti-TNF drugs.

More Related Resources:

• When is it Appropriate to Switch Your TNF Blocker Drug?
• Are Some Patients Unsuitable Candidates for Biologic Drugs?
• Side Effects of Enbrel, Remicade, and Humira: Weighing the Risks
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Cancer
• Biologics Used to Treat Arthritis May Not Increase Cancer Risk

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